Vernier



Sept. 23 1924.

D. J. MONOSMITH -VERNIEHQ Fil v 19. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1

. fiweume Sept. 23, 1924. 1,509,523

D. J. MONOSMITH VERNIER J B 19. 1924 2 Sheets-Shae. 3

04 W0 J Mamas/W771.

Patented Sept. 23, 1924.

' UNITED STATES DAVID J. MONOSMITH, OF SPENCER, OHIO,

ASSIG-NOR TO THE MONOSMITH BROTHERS COMPANY, OF SPENCER, OHIO. A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

V'ERNIEB.

Application filed May 19,

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I, DAVID J. MoNosMn'H. a citizen of the United States, resident of Spencer, county of Medina, and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Verniers, of which the following is a specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

My invention relates to verniers and particularly to devices of this character that provide means for obtaining both a coarse and fine adjustment of manually-operated adjustable instruments, without the necessity of moving the hand from the adjusting hand or knob. This improved Vernier is applicable for use with many types of instruments that are subject to manual adjustment, and is particularly serviceable for use with wireless telegraph and telephone apparatus. I shall hereinafter describe in detail applications of the improved vernier to variable condensers, which applications are also illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In effecting the improvements of .my Vernier, I make use of a peculiar property of a very viscous liquid. This property consists in the adaptability of a very viscous liquid to a very slow easy flow and its resistance to an considerable force tending to cause the liquid to flow quickly and rapidly. I combine with this property of the liquid utilized. as set forth in practicable apparatus illustrating the same, a mechanical member having a sliding friction surface whose resistance to sliding movements remains substantially constant irrespective of the force applied to effect the sliding movement. The sliding friction surface is the means employed to accomplish the coarse or quick adjustment of the instrument to which my improved Vernier is applied, this adjustment being accomplished, of course, by force more or less proportionally great and over an area which is large and comparatively inaccurately defined as compared with the fine adjustment which is finally efit'ected to set the instrument at the precise point desired. This fine adjustment is accomplished by means of the property of a very viscous liquid, which has been mentioned, and is effected with a force less than 1924. Serial No. 714,261.

nal section of one form of apparatus illustrating my improved Vernier;

Figure 2 represents a transverse vertical section, taken in the plane indicated by the line IIII, Figure 1;

Figure 3 represents a partial longitudinal vertical section and a partial side elevation of a variable condenser to which is attached one form of my improved-Vernier;

Figure 4 represents, upon an enlarged scale, fragmentary portions of the Vernier as shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 represents an end elevation, taken from the plane indicated by the line VV, Figure 3;

Figure 6 represents, upon an enlarged scale, fragmentary portions of the Vernier as shown by line VI-VI in Figure 3;

Figure 7 represents an elevation of a spring spider adaptable for use in one form of my improved Vernier;

Figure 8 represents a transverse vertical section, taken in the plane indicated by the line VIII-VIII, Figure 7, and showing the arrangement of two such spiders, as shown in Figure 7, when assembled for use in a venier, such as shown in Figure 9, wherein this form of vernier has been attached to a variable condenser;

Figure 10 represents an elevation of a modified form of spider; and

Figure 11 represents a fragmentary vertical longitudinal section of an instrument to which has been attached .a Vernier utilizing only one of the spiders of the character shown in Figure 10.

Referring to the annexed drawings in which the same parts are designated by the same respective ordinals in the several views,

I Sh in Figure 1 by the ordinal 1 a fragmentary portion of a shaft which is pre- .sumed to e the adjustment-operating shaft of the instrument which may be adjusted by means of my improved Vernier. A bushing 2 is fitted within a cylindrical opening of a bearing block 3, fastened to a suitable support 34, the rotation of the bushing 2 being somewhat retarded by means of a threaded collar or nut 4 so adjusted as to prevent the bushing 2 from rotating too easily. This bushing 2 is formed with a central cylindrical hole which receives the shaft 1, there being provided a slight clearance 5 between the shaft 1 and the inner wall of the bushing 2, which clearance is filled with a very viscous liquid 6, such as a solution of rosin and castor oil, for instance. This clearance 5 is exaggerated for purposes of clearness. The outer bearing surface of bushing 2 is lubricated, if at all, with an ordinary lubricant. Now, it is evident that if the shaft 1 is turned with a force sufficient to overcome the friction between the bushing 2 and the bearing block 3, said bushing 2 will turn within the bearing block 3 and, it being presumed that the adjustable part of the instrument is operated by the movements of the shaft 1, a rough adjustment of the instrument will be effected. The speed and violence of this rough adjustment will be sufficient to cause the bushing 2 to be turned by the shaft 1 through the medium of the viscous liquid 6 and due to the known resistance of such liquids to quick and greatly accelerated movements. Now, when it is desired to effect the final or fine adjustment, the shaft 1 is turned evenly andslowly so that the viscous liquid 6 does not grab or turn the bushing 2 but allows relative movement of the shaft 1 and bushing 2, according to the force which is applied to the shaft 1.

1 illustrate one application in Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the rinciple generally shown and described in Figures 1 and 2. Referring to Figure 3, a collar 17 is secured to the shaft 1 of a variable condenser by means of a set screw 7 this collar 17 beingperipherally grooved to receive loosely a ring 18, there being provided a clearance?) between the col.- lar 17 and the ring 18. The ring 18 is formed with a peripheral semi-circular groove 20 adapted to receive a pair of diametrically spaced wires 21 which are secured at one end by means of a screw 8 to a plate 9 of the condenser frame, the other or upper ends of .the wires 21 being supported by means of an adjustable tension screw 22 by means of which the drag or resistance of the wires 21 upon the ring 18 may be adjusted. The shaft 1 of the condenser is supported in bearings 14 formed in the side plates 9 of the condenser frame and this frame .is supported by means of screws 16 from a suitable panel 15. The adjustable plates 10 of the condenser are actuated by movements nsoaaaa of the shaft 1 and this shaft 1 is actuated by a hand grasp or knob 12 secured to theshaft 1 by a set screw 30, the knob 12 being secured to or formed integrally with a graduated dial 13. The fixed plates of the condenser are designated by the ordinal 11. The ring 18 is retained upon the member 17 by means of a threaded collar 19. The peripheral groove 20 may or may not belubricated with a lubricant of slight viscosity.

It is evident from the aforegoing description of the apparatus shown in Figures 3,

'4, 5 and 6 that a considerable force applied to the knob 12 will turn the shaft 1 with suificient violence to transmit through the viscous liquid sufficient force to overcome the dead friction of the wires 21 upon the ring 18 and thus turn said ring 18 with the shaft 1 and the member 17. However, when the force applied to the knob 12 is slight and such as is intended to effect a fine adjustment of the plates 10, the viscous liquid 6 will flow freely in the clearance area 5 and no motion will be communicated to the ring 18. Thus the shaft 1 and the dial 13 creep slowly without jerk or jar to the precise desired adjustment.

Referring to the application of my invention shown in Figures 7, 8 and 9, the viscous liquid 6 is contained between adjacent'surfaces of two spiders 23 and 23 having any suitable number of spider arms 24, four of such arms being shown in the particular spiders utilized. These spiders 23 and 23 are formed with central embossed portions 25 and have central holes 26 adapted to receive the shaft 1, Figure 9. The two spiders are assembled as shown in Figure 8 and the viscous liquid 6 lubricates the area of contact 5 between the adjacent embossed faces 25;. The spiders 23 and 23 are preferably formed of thin sheets of springy metal such asspring brass, and these spiders are not perfectly flat but the arms or prongs 24 are bent at an angle to the flat central portions 25, as plainly shown in Figure 8. The dial 13. Figure 9, is formed with an inner chamber 27 adapted to receive the spiders 23 and 23', the disposition being such that the arms 24 0f the spiders 23 and 23' press with considerable tension against the plane face28 of the dial 13 and the face 29 of the panel 15, respectively. These arms 24 of the spiders 23 and 23 furnish the tension friction sliding surfaces of this form of device. Either the spider 23 may slip on the dial 13 or spider 23 may slip on the panel 15. It is evident from the foregoing description that a movement of the knob 12 for the purpose of effecting a rough adjustment of the condenser plates 10 will overcome the drag of the arms 24 of the spider 23 on the surface 29 of the panel 15, this force being sufiicient to cause the spider 23 to be turned by the movements of the spider 23 through the medium of the viscous liquid 6. By a light pressure, the movement of the dial 13 for fine adjustment will not transfer movement from the spider 23 through the viscous liquid 6 to the spider 23, the viscous liquid 6 flowing freely to slow movement between the opposed faces 25 of the spiders 23 and 23.

Referring to the form of device shown in Figures 10 and 11, I therein make use of one spider 31 only, the same turning freely upon the shaft 1 and being shown formed with a greater number of prongs or arms 24 than the spider 23, the extremities of these arms 24: being bent sharply outwardly to form friction contacts or feet 33. These friction feet 33 drag upon the surface 29 of the panel 15, as plainly shown in Figure 11. In this form of device the viscous liquid 6 is coated upon the surface 28 of the dial 13 adjacent the embossed face 25 of the spider 31 which is also coated with the viscous liquid 6. The screws for installing the vernier are indicated by the ordinal 32 and it will be noted that the dial 13 andthe spider 31 are so formed as to bridge the screw heads that protrude into the space between the dial 13 and the panel 15 on which the instrument is mounted, thus obviating the necessity of changing the screws when installing the device. In this form of device a quick movement will cause the spider 31 to turn with the shaft 1 against the friction of the feet 33 upon the surface 29, and a slow movement will cause the shaft 1 to turn freely of the spider 31, the action being such that the viscous liquid 6 will flow freely between the surface 28 and the spider 31. 1

What I claim is:

1. A vernier for the adjustment of manually-operated instruments, consisting of movable means for changing the instrument setting; means for indicating the amount of such change; a friction element for facilitating rough adjustments and providing resistance which'is unyielding below a certain maximum applied force and is substantially constant for all speeds of movement of the changing means; and a viscous liquid friction element for facilitating fine adjustments and offering only a very slight resistance to slow easy movements of thechanging means and a rapidly increasing resistance as the speed is accelerated.

2. A vernier for the adjustment of manually-operated instruments, consisting of movable means for changing the instrument setting; means for indicating the amount of such change; a friction element for facilitating rough adjustments and providing re sistance which issubstantially constant for all speeds of movement of the changing means; and a viscous liquid friction element for facilitating fine adjustments and offering less resistance than the first-mentioned friction element to slow easy changes and a rapidly increasing resistance as the speed is accelerated.

3. A vernier for the adjustment of manually-oprated instruments, consisting of movable means for changing the instrument setting; means for indicating the amount of such change; a friction element for facilitating rough adjustments and providing resistance which is unyielding below a certain maximum applied force and is substantially constant for all speeds of movement of the changing means; and a viscous liquid friction element for facilitating fine adjustments and offering a resistance proportional to the changing force which is applied.

4. A vernier for the adjustment of manually-operated instruments, consisting of movable means for changing the instrument setting; means for indicating the amount of such change; a friction element for facilitating rough adjustments and providing unyielding resistance below a certain maximum applied force; and a viscous liquid friction element for facilitating fine adjustments and adapted to yield to a slight operating force but offering a rapidly increasing resistance as the speed is accelerated.

5. A vernier for the adjustment of man ually-operated instruments, cons'sting of movable means for changing the instrument setting; a graduated scale operated by said changing means; a friction element for fa cilitating rough adjustments and providing resistance which is unyielding below a certain maximum'epplied force and is substantially constant for all speeds of movement of the changing means; and a viscous liquid friction element for facilitating fine adjustments and offering only a very slight resistance to slow easy movements of the changing means and a rapidly increasing resistance as the speed is accelerated.

6. A vernier for the adjustment of manually-operated instruments, consisting of movable means for changing the instrument setting; means for indicating the amount of such change; a friction element for facilitating rough adjustments and providing resistance which is unyielding below a certain maximum applied force and is substantially constant for all speeds of movement of the changing means; and a viscous liquid friction element for facilitating fine adjustments and forming a unitary part of the connection between the changing means and the first-mentioned friction element and offering only a very slight resistance to slow easy movements of the changing means and a rapidly increasing resistance as the speed is accelerated.

7. A vernier for the adjustment of manually-operated instruments, consisting of movable means for changingthe instrument setting; means for indicating the amount of such change; a first member secured to the changing means; a stationary member; a

second member adapted to slide upon saidstationary member so as to adhere thereto by friction below a certain maximum amount of applied force, a surface of said first member being adjacent a surface of said second member; and a thin film of viscous liquid spacing apart said two members.

8. A Vernier for the adjustment of manually-operated instruments, consisting of movable means for changing the instrument setting; means for indicating the amount of such change; a support for the instrument to be adjusted, having a plane surface, said indicating means also being formed with a spaced opposed plane surface; two adjacent spring plates disposed within'the space between said surfaces and confined under tension so that the supportplate will adhere to the support and the indicator-plate will adhere to the indicator by friction. below a certain maximum amount of applied force; and a thin film of viscous liquid spacing apart said two plates.

9. A. Vernier for the adjustment of manually-operated instruments, consisting of a dial; a shaft adapted to be actuated by the movements of the dial; a support for the instrument to be adjusted, having a plane surface, said dial also being formed with a spaced opposed plane surface; a friction element disposed within the space between said surfaces, and being confined under tension so that it will adhere to the support soaaaa by friction below a certain maximum amount of applied force; and a thin film of viscous liquid disposed intermediate the dial and frictionelement and adapted to allow relative movement of the two under applied force below said maximum amount.

10. A Vernier for the adjustment of manually-operated instruments, consisting of a dial; a shaft adapted to be actuated by the movements of the dial; a support for the instrument to be adjusted, having a plane surface, said dial also being formed with a spaced opposed plane surface; a friction element disposed within the space between said surfaces, and being confined under tension so that it will adhere to the support by friction below a certain maximum amount of applied force; and a thin film of viscous liquid applied to said opposed plane surface of the dial, a portion of said friction element lying contiguous said liquid film.

11. A Vernier for the adjustment of manuall -operated instruments, consisting of a dial; a shaft adapted to be actuated by the movements of the dial; a support for the instrument to be adjusted, having a plane surface, said dial. also being formed with a spaced opposed plane surface; a spring spider disposed within the space between said surfaces, and confined under tension so that its arms adhere to the support by friction below a certain maximum amount of applied force; and a thin film of viscous liquid spacing apart the body of the spider and said opposed plane surface of the dial.

Signed by me this 8 day of May, 1924.

DAVID J. MONUSMITH. 

